Fighting Irish Bloghttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com
UndergroundThu, 12 Feb 2015 17:41:02 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngFighting Irish Bloghttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com
No “Fore” In This Foursomehttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/19/no-fore-in-this-foursome/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/19/no-fore-in-this-foursome/#commentsThu, 19 Jun 2014 15:55:14 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6766]]>One of the more steady programs within our athletics stable here at Notre Dame has been the women’s golf squad. Not only one of the more studious on campus, the team has also continued a trend of qualifying for NCAA’s (not an easy feat for a school at over 41 degrees north of the equator).

Let’s stop talking about the past and instead let’s turn to the future. Well, let’s turn to the very near future. This weekend, there are two former Notre Dame women’s golfers (Noriko Nakazaki & Becca Huffer) and two current members (Jordan Ferreira & Kari Bellville) who will be teeing it up with some of the best players in the world.

Ferreira At The Open

Ferreira, a rising sophomore, is the lone Irish connection playing in one of the biggest women’s golfing events on the calendar, the United States Women’s Open. For the first time in recent memory, the Women’s Open will be played on the same course as the Men’s Open was just one week prior, famed Pinehurst No. 2. The Women’s Open is one of the major tournaments on the women’s golf scene throughout the calendar year and welcomes one of the strongest fields throughout the year.

The Trio On Tour

Incoming freshman Kari Bellville joins alums Noriko Nakazaki and Becca Huffer in this weekend’s Symetra Tour event at Blackthorn Golf Course (just 15 minutes west of Notre Dame). The Symetra tour is the developmental tour for the LPGA tour (if you follow men’s golf, the Symetra Tour is parallel with the Web.com Tour) and on most weekends is littered with a variety of up-and-coming talent from around the country. This weekend’s field at Blackthorn Golf Course is stronger than usual as the golfers that are normally playing on the LPGA Tour, but were unable to qualify for the U.S. Open, are pegging it on the Symetra Tour.

My guess is when you play with these four, they will be playing from the fairway for the most part and you will be the only one yelling “fore.”

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/19/no-fore-in-this-foursome/feed/0boyaaronsidsource: source: What Could Have Beenhttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/what-could-have-been/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/what-could-have-been/#commentsTue, 17 Jun 2014 19:01:18 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6763]]>Back in February 2014, during a training session with his new MLS club, Toronto FC, former Notre Dame forward Bright Dike (pronounced “Dee-Kay) felt a pop in his leg. With that one step, his dream of playing in the 2014 World Cup was squelched.

Up until that point, Dike was already in the process of fighting himself back into shape after another knee surgery prior to his 2013 MLS season with the Portland Timbers. He was getting back into his previous form, using his large body to shield defenders (why Notre Dame men’s soccer coach Bobby Clark calls Dike, the “Big Man”) and his unique ability to get shots off in the tightest of spaces.

DIKE’S ATHLETICISM ON DISPLAY

November 18, 2013

As the World Cup neared, Dike was called up to the Nigerian National Team for a pair of matches. In the November 18th match against Italy, Dike opened up his national team account with this beauty.

DIKE’S FIRST NATIONAL TEAM GOAL

February 10, 2014

Dike was called up to the Nigerian National Team for their March 5th friendly. After being acquired by Toronto FC from the Portland Timbers at the end of 2013, Dike began preseason training with Toronto in early 2014. After a resurgence at the end of last season, Dike was looking for a breakout year alongside U.S. National Team member Michael Bradley and former Notre Dame alum Justin Morrow in the “Starting XI” for Toronto.

February 13, 2014

In an article on NBCSports.com, there is one of the first mentions by the American press as to whether Dike could possibly make the 2014 World Cup squad for Nigeria.

Could a player whose played for three American clubs in four years — and didn’t make his Nigerian senior team bow until he was 25 — be in Stephen Keshi’s plans for the Super Eagles time on the world’s biggest stage?

February 19, 2014

Today

Dike was on track to possibly capture one of the coveted 23 spots on Nigeria’s National team for the 2014 World Cup, before his injury. As he watches his former Nigerian teammates play internationally and former college running mate, Matt Besler, start for the United States, Dike is hard at work training to get back to the superior striker he once was and expects to be again.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/what-could-have-been/feed/0DikeboyaaronsidBesler’s Ride To Brazilhttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/beslers-ride-to-brazil/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/beslers-ride-to-brazil/#commentsFri, 13 Jun 2014 06:12:12 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6758]]>When I began in this position in the summer of 2013, one of the first one-on-one interviews I participated in was with Irish men’s soccer alum Matt Besler. Besler, a 2009 graduate of Notre Dame, was in the middle of his MLS season with Sporting KC and had just recently began to make his mark as a member of the United States Men’s National Team. After the interview (which you can find by clicking here), I researched the history of the men’s soccer program at Notre Dame and I began to understand the magnitude of the accomplishment that Besler had made by playing with the National Team and the possibilities he had in the future with the 2014 World Cup just a year away. Needless to say, I made it my duty to try to magnify the situation as much as possible and sent out 178 tweets (yes, I just counted) in an attempt to show people that what he was in the process of accomplishing was a first in Notre Dame history.

Fast-forward almost a year and we have just begun the 2014 World Cup. The young defender from Kansas is no longer “just” an Academic All-American, he was named captain of his club team after winning MLS Cup in 2013, is a member of the United States Men’s National Team roster for the World Cup and is slated to be among the Starting XI when the squad kicks off its first game on Monday (June 16th) against Ghana. All this from a kid who was nicknamed “Country Boy” while he was at Notre Dame.

Besler’s Social Rise

In an effort to show Besler’s meteoric rise, let’s take a look at his following on the popular social media site Twitter. According to a tweet I sent out back in July of 2013, just after I interviewed Besler, he had about 12,000 followers. Today, Besler’s account, @MBesler, has a follower account just south of 56,000.

Besler At Notre Dame

In his time at Notre Dame, Besler was a quiet leader. While donning the blue and gold, he played in 90 matches, including 73 starts, from 2005-08 and netted five goals and seven assists. He earned first team All-America and first team Academic All-America honors as a senior. Besler was a three-time all-BIG EAST honoree and was named the 2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Senior Video

Besler’s Fourth Career Goal

Not Convinced?

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/beslers-ride-to-brazil/feed/1Matt Beslerboyaaronsid#NDinAfrica – Men’s Soccer Arrives In Zimbabwehttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/ndinafrica-mens-soccer-arrives-in-zimbabwe/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/ndinafrica-mens-soccer-arrives-in-zimbabwe/#commentsThu, 12 Jun 2014 01:37:49 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6754]]>Throughout your life when you return to school after summer vacation you are peppered with one simple question, “What did you do during the summer?” For the Notre Dame men’s soccer team that question will most definitely be a two-part answer. I don’t know how the last 75 days of summer vacation will go for the returning members of the 2013 NCAA Champions, but I can say that the 21 days the squad was abroad will be the highlight of the summer.

Every four years the NCAA allows each program to take a trip abroad as a team-building exercise. In most cases you see squads take trips to countries that many people dream to go to at some point in their lives for a relaxing vacation or to cross off a legendary golf course on their bucket list. What the men’s soccer team did for 21 days was nothing short of fantastic – they took a trip predicated on service … to a third-world country.

The men’s soccer program is one of my favorite to work with here at Notre Dame. From their head coach, Bobby Clark (or “Boss”), to their assistant coaches B.J. Craig and Greg Dalby to all the fantastic student-athletes on the team. As far as the journey to Africa, I think this program was one of the few at Notre Dame who could pull off such a trip due to the length, nature and environment.

The men’s soccer program brought along Ryan Camden (Fighting Irish Digital Media) to document the trip and bring those not in the travel party a unique look at what went on during their trip to Zimbabwe to spread the Grassroot Soccer mission of using soccer as a means for educating children about health. Returning from Africa days ago, Camden is beginning to put together a variety of videos focusing on pieces of the trip abroad. Let’s look at the first video from #NDinAfrica…

ARRIVING IN ZIMBABWE

In addition to this video, Camden will create an additional videos from the trip that will chronicle the visit to Victoria Falls and a safari, a trip to the Matapos and the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, the impact the trip had on Grassroot Soccer and a look at the six matches the Irish played in Zimbabwe.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/ndinafrica-mens-soccer-arrives-in-zimbabwe/feed/0zimbabwe1boyaaronsidIrish In The MLS (And The World Cup)https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/irish-in-the-mls-and-the-world-cup/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/irish-in-the-mls-and-the-world-cup/#commentsTue, 10 Jun 2014 15:15:30 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6749]]>Not only has a former Notre Dame men’s soccer student-athlete landed on the ground in Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but a few other alums are making their presence felt in the MLS.

Matt Besler

After a storied career at Notre Dame, 2009 graduate Matt Besler was drafted by the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting KC) of the MLS and now is a member of the United States Men’s National Team. Over the weekend, the USMNT landed in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup and will begin play next Monday.

In MLS news, two alums of Notre Dame added to their accounts this weekend.

Harrison Shipp

The frontrunner for the MLS Rookie of the Year award, Harrison Shipp has put even more room between him and the others after his two-goal performance for the Chicago Fire last weekend.

GOAL ONE:

GOAL TWO:

Dillon Powers

After a two-assist performance the week prior, Powers continued his helping ways by bending an in-swinger into the box onto the head of a Rapids midfielder who nestled the ball in the back of the net.

Justin Morrow

Morrow checked into last week’s contest with the San Jose Earthquake with his Toronto FC club up 1-0 in the 81st minute. Morrow helped shut the door on the Earthquake and secure three points for Toronto.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/irish-in-the-mls-and-the-world-cup/feed/1BeslerUSMNTboyaaronsidMonday’s T.I.F.I. – MLB Draft, World Cup, Bringing Home Gold & More!https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/mondays-t-i-f-i-mlb-draft-world-cup-bringing-home-gold-more/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/mondays-t-i-f-i-mlb-draft-world-cup-bringing-home-gold-more/#commentsMon, 09 Jun 2014 18:00:10 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6747]]>A few former Notre Dame student-athletes (and some current ones) were in the news this weekend for their play both in the professional ranks and it tournaments around the globe.

Let’s first begin with the women’s basketball squad tallying yet another gold medal to their count. Rising junior Jewell Loyd is returning from overseas with a FIBA 3 on 3 Championship. Loyd and her squad ran through the tournament to bring home the gold.

Additionally, the men’s soccer alums lit it up on the pitch. Harrison Shipp added two more goals to his account for the Chicago Fire, while Dillon Powers sent an in-swinger into the box off a corner kick that was headed into the back of the net for a Colorado Rapids tally.

Now what did we miss …

1. Irish To TBT Championship Game (South Bend Tribune)
A group of former Notre Dame men’s basketball student-athletes came back together for the first time since they played for the Irish to fight for a $500,000 prize, $100,000 of which they have earmarked for charity if they win. Click here to read more.

2. Besler Relishes World Cup Opportunity (The Guardian)
We are just days away from the beginning of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and Irish men’s soccer alum Matt Besler is primed to be among the Starting XI for the United States when the Cup begins this week. To read more, click here.

3. Expect To See More Theo (NFL.com)
Theo Riddick, a former Notre Dame running back, is beginning to thrive after his first season in the NFL with the Detroit Lions. Many Lions players and staff members are high on Riddick as he enters his second year in Detroit. Click here to read more.

Tweet Of The Day

Notre Dame-ish Video Of The Day

Notre Dame baseball and men’s basketball student-athlete Pat Connaughton was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 4th round of the 2014 MLB Draft last Friday. Watch the video above to see how Pat reacted to hearing the news.

Did You Know?

Of the head D-1 men’s basketball coaches in Indiana, Mike Brey is the longest tenured at his current school, entering his 15th year at Notre Dame. The next closest, Matt Painter, is entering his 10th season in West Lafayette.

Notre Dame’s final day in Rome began with a bus ride through heavy traffic to the Vatican Museums that draw some 40,000 visitors per day. The Irish lacrosse squad spent about two hours winding its way through the galleries with two guides supplying commentary via individual radio systems. The tour ended in the Sistine Chapel.

From there, in the early afternoon the group walked through the winding streets surrounding the Vatican to St. Peter’s Square and took a team photo among lots of other image opportunities. St. Peter’s Basilica and Square had been closed in the morning due to ceremonies featuring Pope Francis and honoring the bicentennial of the founding of the Carabinieri, the Italian national military police force. The Pope accepted one of the traditional Carabinieri red berets from someone in the crowd of 50,000 police.

There were four to five hours of free time remaining, so the Irish wandered Rome on their own for lunch and the remainder of the afternoon. Those who wanted to take advantage of a bus ride back to the hotel met at 6:30 p.m. at the Piazza del Popolo that was preparing for an evening musical concert noting the Carabinieri anniversary.

The Irish also had dinner on their own their last night in Italy, with a 6 a.m. Saturday departure for the trip to home. A handful of the Notre Dame players, coaches and staff remained in Italy for a few extra days or headed out to other European destinations.

The next time you are near Piazza Navona, stop in an alleyway northwest of the square, check out Osteria dell’ Anima and try the pasta with pears and carrot sauce.

The Irish men’s lacrosse squad enjoyed an early breakfast, and then departed Montecatini at 8 a.m. for the freeway bus ride to Rome. After parking next to the Tiber River, the Notre Dame group walked to Piazza Navona in the northwest part of the Rome city centre—and from there everyone wandered for 90 minutes to find lunch. At 2:15 p.m. everybody returned to the plaza to meet with two-English-speaking guides who provided headsets and audio systems enabling everyone to hear the guides as the two spoke to their respective groups.

From Piazza Navona (a long ago home to athletic competitions, games and horse races), the Irish spent the next two hours walking through some of the most historic sites of Rome—starting with the Pantheon at Piazza della Rotonda. It’s dedicated to all the gods, with no windows but a single nine-meter opening at the top of the vault—and home to the tomb of Raphael. Then it was off to Piazza Venezia, one of the busiest intersections in the city and site of the national monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, first king of Italy, followed by an overhead view of the Roman Forum, a huge area holding some of the oldest (and mostly underground) Roman ruins in the area.

About 5 p.m. the entire Notre Dame group entered the Colosseo (the Colosseum), as imposing a building as you might imagine—and quite apropos considering one of the buses had watched the movie “Gladiator” on the ride to Rome.

After a warm afternoon in the sun, the Irish contingent checked into their home hotel south of town at the Barcelo Aran Mantegna and had a dinner of pasta, veal and a fruit tart before many members of the group headed out to Rome at night.

When in Rome, stop by L’Osteria de Memmo i Santori, a local spot off an alleyway north of Piazza Navona—and try the pasta with tomatoes and shrimp.

Tomorrow the Notre Dame team will go in the morning to the Vatican museums and the Sistine Chapel and then spend the rest of the day seeing some of the remaining sights in the city centre, including the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps at Piazza di Spagna (the steps leading to the church of the Trinita dei Monti).

The Irish left San Marino at about 10 a.m. on another glorious day in Italy, taking the three-hour bus ride to Florence. The group gathered early afternoon in Piazza Signoria, just in front of the Palazzo Vecchio—and that was the meeting place at 10 p.m. when the Notre Dame contingent departed. Everybody searched out lunch and dinner options on their own.

In between, all the Irish players and staff wandered at leisure—from Piazza Santa Maria Novella, to the awe-inspiring and colorful Duomo, to the famed Uffizi gallery, to Piazza Santa Croce.

There were plenty of views of the Arno River, including the famed, covered Ponte Vecchio (with dozens of jewelry kiosks lining both sides). On the other side of the river was the Palazzo Pitti–and lots of little alleyways, nooks and crannies.

When in Firenze, try the Trattoria 4 Leoni on Via Vellutini–and order the orecchiette with zucchini, the mixed seasonal vegetables and the tiramisu.

By 11:30 p.m. the Irish had taken the one-hour bus ride to the Grand Hotel Tettuccio in Montecatini Terme, a delightful little town known for its spa therapy.

On Wednesday, the Notre Dame squad headed out at 9:30 a.m. for the hour-long bus ride to Cinque Terre (Italian for “five lands”)–where the group then took the train into the first of the five seaside villages on what is known as the Italian Riviera.

From there, the exploration began on a more individual basis—with three-four-minute train service connecting each of the five terraced towns—Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. It’s not easy to reach the villages because car traffic is non-existent, but both trains and boats connect them. There used to be walking passages between all the villages but severe flooding over the years has closed many of those.

Many members of the Irish group made the hour-plus walk from Monterosso to Vernazza (or the other way around)—and most all the players made it into the water at some point. There was plenty of cliff-diving activity at Manarola by both players and coaches, with Nick Ossello and Matt Landis making multiple jumps and assistant coach Gerry Byrne earning a 9.5 for his form.

When in Vernazza, try the Ristorante Belforte perched on a rocky hill at water’s edge on Via Guidoni—try any of the many fish offerings and enjoy the best views in town.

By late afternoon, the Irish made the return trip to Montecatini Terme for dinner at the hotel. Along the way you see impressive hillside deposits of marble, with a handful of quarries in view along the highway. These are some of the same quarries that produced the marble used by artists such as Michaelangelo.

On Friday the Irish head to Rome.

Check UND.com and WatchND for print and video updates from the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse journey to Italy. Stay connected to this trip on Twitter via @ndlacrosse, @ndheisler & @ndlaxexperience. Use hashtag #NDLaxItaly.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/ndlaxitaly-%e2%80%a2-june-34-2014/feed/0photo (1)boyaaronsidIrish In The WNBA • June 4, 2014https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/irish-in-the-wnba-%e2%80%a2-june-4-2014/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/irish-in-the-wnba-%e2%80%a2-june-4-2014/#commentsWed, 04 Jun 2014 15:43:29 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/irish-in-the-wnba-%e2%80%a2-june-4-2014/Notre Dame Basketball:With the WNBA season in full bore, I thought we should start giving weekly updates on how your favorite women’s basketball alumni are doing in the league. Before we begin, take a minute to vote for the three women’s basketball alums in the WNBA – Skylar Diggs (Tulsa Shock),…]]>

With the WNBA season in full bore, I thought we should start giving weekly updates on how your favorite women’s basketball alumni are doing in the league.

Before we begin, take a minute to vote for the three women’s basketball alums in the WNBA – Skylar Diggs (Tulsa Shock), Kayla McBride (San Antonio Stars) and Devereaux Peters (Minnesota Lynx). Click here to VOTE.

Skylar Diggins

In her second season in the WNBA, Diggins has begun to thrive on the floor. Her field goal percentage this season currently stands at 45.7%, 12.9% higher than her mark last year. Additionally, through five games she has nearly doubled her points per game output from last year, checking in at 16.8 points per game.

Across the board Diggins is making her mark, dropping two more assists per game than last year (5.8 to 3.8), while reducing her turnovers per game by over 20%…

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/irish-in-the-wnba-%e2%80%a2-june-4-2014/feed/0Featured Image -- 6738boyaaronsidIrish In The MLS (And The USMNT) • June 3, 2014https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/irish-in-the-mls-and-the-usmnt-%e2%80%a2-june-3-2014/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/irish-in-the-mls-and-the-usmnt-%e2%80%a2-june-3-2014/#commentsTue, 03 Jun 2014 15:49:51 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6735]]>Another weekend of great play from Notre Dame men’s soccer alums in the professional and International ranks is behind us. We can’t forget about our boy, Matt Besler on the United States Men’s National Team on his play preceding the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Before we get underway, take a minute to vote for the four alums on the MLS All-Star Game ballot – Matt Besler, Justin Morrow, Dillon Powers & Harrison Shipp. Click here to VOTE.

Matt Besler

On the U.S. Men’s National Team, Matt Besler continues to take his spot at left center back for each of the squad’s matches leading up to the World Cup in Brazil. Besler was subbed out in the 46th minute of Sunday’s match against Turkey with the clean sheet still intact for America. The U.S. went on to win 2-1 with one more match before the squad boards the plane for Brazil. The first match of the World Cup for the U.S. is on Monday, June 16th against Ghana.

A local Fox affiliate in Besler’s hometown of Kansas City continues its look into his journey to the World Cup. (FYI – Matt’s little brother, Nick, is a starting midfielder on the Irish men’s soccer team. Matt’s wedding took place the day before Nick and the Irish won the University’s first men’s NCAA title.

Dillon Powers

Powers, the reigning MLS rookie of the year, is continuing his assault on defenses in the MLS. In the Colorado Rapids 3-0 victory this past weekend, Powers accounted for two assists, but should have had another as one of his nifty chips found a wide open Rapids forward in the middle of the box, but he couldn’t find the back of the wide open net.

Assist One

Assist Two

Justin Morrow

Morrow and Toronto FC battled to a 3-2 win over the Columbus Crew last weekend. Stationed at his left outside back position, Morrow helped push the offensive attack down the left flank all match, leading to a series of goals for Toronto.

Harrison Shipp

The Chicago Fire struck first against the star-studded LA Galaxy squad, before finishing the match in a draw, 1-1. Shipp, may not have tallied a mark on the box score, but his stellar passing and through balls helped set up the lone Fire goal on the night on a Penalty Kick.

Ryan Finley

Finley checked took the field for Chivas USA in the 68th-minute of last weekend’s contest against the Philadelphia Union. This marked a string of three-straight matches in which Finley has seen game action.

The Irish finished their third straight day of competition by defeating Team Italy 25-4 in a 10 a.m. match. Notre Dame led 6-1 after one period, 9-3 at halftime and 16-4 after three periods. The final day of the tournament was played under blue, sunny skies and 66-degree temperatures on an Italian governmental holiday, making for a three-day weekend.

Eddy Lubowicki had four goals, Matt Kavanagh had two of the first three goals plus two assists, and freshman Anthony Marini had four goals of his own.

Coach Kevin Corrigan used the occasion to take an early look at 2015, as he placed all the graduated seniors on the Italian team in the mixed roster contest. Ryan Mix scored two goals for the Italian squad and Ty Brenneman and John Scioscia also scored for Italy (Scioscia on a man-up chance)—while Kyle Ripp played the first two periods in goal for the Italians.

Early in the fourth period, Serge Perkovic ripped one impressively into the net from long distance, prompting Italian assistant Fabio Antonelli to wander toward the Irish bench and offer in jest, “Sergio, you’re talented. A little wall ball and you’ll be fine.”

After the game, Italy coach Pete Delisser said, “Having contingents of guys from all over the world sharing the game benefits everyone–and this year in particular because it’s s world championship year (July in Denver, Colo.). Our guys know the Notre Dame team from watching their games, so it’s an honor to have the chance to play with and against them.”

After the contest, two Italian players presented Corrigan with four bottles of wine, and there was a massive amount of trading of shirts, shorts, sticks and pennys between the two teams. An English-speaking priest also showed up to watch the game and chat with the American contingent after the action.

After the game, the Notre Dame group headed off to Collina Dei Poeti (it means hill of poets), a farm and vineyard in Santarcangelo di Romagna for a quick tour of the facilities and a lunch featuring traditional Italian fare. The farm features seven acres of olive trees (the farm makes its own olive oil) and seven acres of vineyards, as well as a historic villa and a small soccer field for recreation. There’s a mulberry tree-lined “Avenue of Love” that leads to a small pond and is used for weddings. There are bright rose bushes planted at the end of each row of vines and if the roses become infected that’s a tipoff that the vines will be infected as well. The wine is processed and aged in the cellar of the facility.

The Irish buses returned to San Marino (it’s a republic that is technically not a part of Italy—and it’s the oldest and smallest independent state in the world) about 4 p.m., in time for the players to spend some free time exploring the walled city and taking in the spectacular views on a glorious afternoon in the sun. You can even have your passport stamped, with an official San Marino postage stamp affixed in the process. The republic is known for its three towers that overlook the city of San Marino and are visible miles in the distance.

The team had dinner at its San Marino hotel.

Two Irish players—seniors Jim Marlatt and Ryan Smith—flew home from Rome today to begin their MBA studies at Notre Dame

Here’s what’s ahead:

Tuesday through Friday: In brief, it’s Tuesday in Florence, Wednesday at Cinque-Terre and Thursday and Friday in Rome—with lots of free time to wander in all three spots.

Check UND.com and WatchND for print and video updates from the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse journey to Italy. Stay connected to this trip on Twitter via @ndlacrosse, @ndheisler & @ndlaxexperience. Use hashtag #NDLaxItaly.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/ndlaxitaly-%e2%80%a2-june-2-2014/feed/1Screen Shot 2014-06-02 at 4.50.43 PMboyaaronsidMonday’s T.I.F.I. – Irish In The NCAA’s, Escape From Alcatraz, #USMNT & More!https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/mondays-t-i-f-i-irish-in-the-ncaas-escape-from-alcatraz-usmnt-more/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/mondays-t-i-f-i-irish-in-the-ncaas-escape-from-alcatraz-usmnt-more/#commentsMon, 02 Jun 2014 14:02:10 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6727]]>As the competitive collegiate season winds down for Fighting Irish squads, NCAA honors and appearances were claimed by student-athletes. The track and field teams punched tickets to the NCAA Championships with performances this weekend and the rowing squad tied its best finish ever at the NCAA Championships.

In alumni news, former Notre Dame men’s soccer student-athlete Dillon Powers continued his stellar play this season for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. In a 3-0 win over the Houston Dynamo, Powers tallied two assists and could have easily had one more if it weren’t for a goal line stop from a Dynamo defender. Check out the clips below of both of his assists.

Now what did we miss …

1. Irish Row To Ninth-Place Finish (NCAA.com)
The Notre Dame rowing team tied their best finish ever at the NCAA Championships last weekend as they stopping the clock in the ninth position.. Click the link above to read more.

2. One Last Roadblock (Irish Eyes)
A few decades after leaving the University, Jerome Bettis is still working on getting his diploma from Notre Dame. Click the link above to read more.

3. Pollock’s All-Star Bid Beaned By Ball (Sporting News)
Former Notre Dame baseball student-athlete A.J. Pollock was on a tear of late, batting over .300 on the season and .365 over the last 14 days. Unfortunately, Pollock was injured in a game this weekend and will be out for some time with a fractured bone in his hand. Click the link above to read more.

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Tweet Of The Day

Congrats to Evan Sharpley and the rest of the Notre Dame Football alumni group who swam, biked and ran the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon this past weekend in memory of former teammate Asaph “Ace” Schwapp.

Notre Dame-ish Video Of The Day

As Matt Besler (’09) gets ready for the World Cup with the United States Men’s National Team, a local affiliate in Kansas City is documenting his past.

Did You Know?

If Matt Besler steps on the pitch for the 2014 World Cup, he will become the first Notre Dame men’s soccer alum to play in the World Cup for the United States.

After a quick breakfast at their San Marino hotel high on a mountaintop, the Irish played their second game at 11 a.m. versus Team Norway. Great Britain defeated Italy 14-8 in the early-morning opener.

Notre Dame ended up winning 21-5, but that score came after the two squads split rosters (and coaching staffs) for the final period of play. The Irish led 7-1 after one period, 10-2 at halftime and 17-3 after three periods.

Notre Dame produced 14 different goal-scorers—with Kyle Runyan notching three and Ty Brenneman and Jack Doyle two each, all of those in the opening three periods. Nick Ossello, Cole Riccardi and Sergio Perkovic all added their second tallies in the final period.

Norway’s Per-arne Kvalvag put up two final-period goals for his team, which is headed for the world championships later this summer in Denver. Norwegian goaltender Erlend Hoel made a handful of impressive saves to keep his team competitive.

Kevin Corrigan spoke to both teams together after the game, noting the two former Irish players coaching the Norwegian squad—and there was a fair amount of good-natured bantering going on during the game between the two staffs.

Said Norway coach Dan Scolaro: “Everybody on our team is a big Notre Dame lacrosse fan. We watch all their games.

“This was a little strange today because I was on the other side when our team played in Prague (Czech Republic) in 2005.

“But this was great for us, because our players look at the Notre Dame players as celebrities.”

Then the Notre Dame team and staff headed to the beach in Rimini where the Irish spent the rest of the day and evening at beach umbrella/sunbed section #42. It was a perfect 72-degree sunny day for sampling the turquoise-blue waters of the Adriatic Sea.

Here’s what’s ahead:

Monday: At 10 a.m. it’s the Irish vs. Team Italy in another “friendly” match at Riccione. That’s Notre Dame’s final match of the trip, in advance of visits to Florence, Cinque Terre and Rome.

Check UND.com and WatchND for print and video updates from the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse journey to Italy. Stay connected to this trip on Twitter via @ndlacrosse, @ndheisler & @ndlaxexperience. Use hashtag #NDLaxItaly.

The team left via bus at 7 a.m. from its Erba hotel, making a stop after about three hours at the Museo Ferrari in the small town of Maranello. The actual Ferrari factory is also nearby, but the museum provided a guided, audio-assisted tour of the three floors of cars and other related items.

After a lunch stop, the Irish continued to Centro Sportivo Dei 3 Villaggi in Riccione where at 5:30 p.m. they played their first lacrosse game against a select team from Great Britain (also including other international players). The first game of the doubleheader saw Team Norway defeat Team Italy 17-1—with Italian supporters singing cheers and waving an Italian flag from the bleachers. The Norway team is coached by two former Notre Dame lacrosse players—Dan Scolaro and Jim Morrison.

Team Great Britain (with the national flag adorning players’shorts), coached by Travis Taylor from Loughborough University, featured a dozen United Kingdom players as well as four from Italy and one from Ireland. Several of his Loughborough players competed, including 21-year-old goaltender Toby Cleaver-ross from Blackpool, who had his struggles in the early going but earned his share of cheers when he did make saves.

The game was played under perfect blue skies and 66-degree temperatures, and the Irish got off to a hot start. Notre Dame rolled out to a 13-0 lead after the first period, as Ryan Mix scored three times and John Scoscia added a pair of goals.

After the first period, the Irish donated eight players to the Team GB side and at half all the Notre Dame freshmen began playing for the United Kingdom squad as well. The final score ended up 26-2 for Notre Dame, with Chris Prevoznik and Sergio Perkovic scoring the two Great Britain tallies. Matt Kavanagh had two goals and three assists for Notre Dame as 18 different players notched goals for the Irish.

Among those watching from the sidelines was Fabio Antonelli, who brought lacrosse to Italy about 10 years ago but no longer plays due to multiple concussions. Just in the last four years the list of Italian teams has grown from two to seven and a women’s league is now competing.

The four teams had dinner together at a rooftop pizzeria in Riccione, then the Notre Dame group checked into the Grand Hotel San Marino, high above the Adriatic Sea, after midnight.

Here’s what’s ahead:

Sunday: The Irish play their second game at 11 a.m. versus Team Norway. Then the team is to head to the beach in Rimini.

Monday: At 10 a.m. it’s the Irish vs. Team Italy in another “friendly” match at Riccione.

Check UND.com and WatchND for print and video updates from the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse journey to Italy. Stay connected to this trip on Twitter via @ndlacrosse, @ndheisler & @ndlaxexperience. Use hashtag #NDLaxItaly.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/ndlaxitaly-%e2%80%a2-may-31-2014/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-05-31 at 8.20.39 PMboyaaronsidFriday’s T.I.F.I. – #NDinAfrica, Rowing In The Circle City, MLB Draft & More!https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/fridays-t-i-f-i-ndinafrica-rowing-in-the-circle-city-mlb-draft-more/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/fridays-t-i-f-i-ndinafrica-rowing-in-the-circle-city-mlb-draft-more/#commentsFri, 30 May 2014 14:34:30 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6718]]>A glorious run by the men’s lacrosse team came to an end on Monday at the hands of the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA Championship game. The Irish had been on a roll of late, winning the ACC Championship and coming out victorious in their first three games in NCAA play. Take a second to watch the highlights from Monday’s NCAA Championship Game.

Now what did we miss …

1. Connaughton Gears Up For Draft (NBCSports.com)
A three-year starter on the men’s basketball team, Pat Connaughton is also the “ace” of the Irish baseball squad. With the MLB Draft looming, Connaughton, a draft-eligible junior, is weighing all of his options for the 2014-15 season. Click the link above to read more.

2. Rowing In The Circle City (NCAA.com)
After Notre Dame’s first season in the ACC, the Irish rowing team picked up its third straight NCAA Championship bid. The Championship, hosted by Notre Dame, is being held in Indianapolis. Click the link above to read more.

3. Samardzija Is Elite And No One Cares (CraveOnline.com)
Jeff Samardzija’s 1-4 record for the Chicago Cubs this year is not just misleading, it’s downright misleading. Samardzija’s eight (of 11) starts of 7.0 innings or more, coupled with his miniscule 1.68 ERA make him one of the top starters in the entire league a third of the way through the MLB season. Click the link above to read more.

Tweet Of The Day

Notre Dame-ish Video Of The Day

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Not only is A.J. Pollock (former Irish baseball student-athlete) tearing it up at the plate as of late, his fielding isn’t too shabby either.

Did You Know?

Jordan Ferreira, a rising sophomore on the Irish women’s golf team, will become the sixth Irish student-athlete to play in the U.S. Women’s Open. The previous five student-athletes to play in the tournament are Ashley Armstrong, Becca Huffer, Nicole Zhang, Lindsay Weaver and Crissy Klein.

Today: The Irish arrived just about on time in Milan on Alitalia flight 605 (with only one missing bag). Most everyone accessed Euros at the airport, either from the bank or an ATM, and then it was off via bus (driving past a 70,000-seat soccer stadium on the way as well as the newly-modernized headquarters for the A.C. Milano soccer team) to downtown Milan for some free time and lunch, followed by a guided walking tour at 3:15 p.m. The two major sites to see proved to be the Duomo di Milano, the third-largest church in the world (it took 400 years to build and is covered inside and out with marble), and the Milan castle (official name is Castello Sforzesso), built in the Middle Ages to protect the city. Downtown Milan is extremely old school, with cobblestone streets and old-time trolley cars paired with major-league shopping.

When in Milan, try the Bar Duomo bistrot café. The bruschetta is excellent, as is the vegetable plate (with eggplant) and the melon with prosciutto. And there’s a perfect view of the Duomo from your seats.

After a bit more free time around the castle, the team took its bus to Erba (in the foothills of the Alps) and its home for the first two nights, Hotel Leonardo da Vinci—with dinner (salad, plus homemade lasagna, lemon chicken, lemon potatoes and tiramisu) at the hotel for a somewhat exhausted group. The owner of the hotel also turns out to be the head chef.

Tour guide for the trip is Giancarlo Manti, who made certain the Notre Dame contingent understood rules for coffee in Italy:

– Order coffee in Italy and you get espresso.

– If you want the United States version of coffee, ask for Americano.

– There’s no such thing as a latte in Italy—if you order that, you’ll be served milk.

– Don’t order cappuccino after noon—Italians drink it in the morning, so if you order it later in the day it’s a dead giveaway that you are a tourist.

– Understand when you go in a bar and order your coffee, you are likely to stand at the counter to drink it.

In the small-world category, the Irish group hadn’t been in downtown Milan for 10 minutes before running into Ben Sutton, longtime executive with ISP and now IMG (owners of the Notre Dame football radio rights), who was traveling in Italy with his daughter.

Here’s what’s ahead:

Friday: There’s a morning boat ride on Lake Como, some free time for wandering in nearby Bellagio and Como, a late afternoon training session (that means practice in Europe), followed by dinner back at the hotel.

Saturday: The team leaves early for San Marino, with a stop at the Ferrari museum on the way. The Irish continue via bus to Riccione where at 5:30 p.m. they will play their first lacrosse game against a select team from Great Britain (also including other international players). The competing teams will have dinner together, then the Notre Dame group will check into the Gran Hotel San Marino.

Sunday: The Irish will take a morning walking tour of San Marino, then play another game against Team Norway.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/ndlaxitaly-%e2%80%a2-thursday-%e2%80%a2-may-29-2014/feed/17917403boyaaronsidIrish In The MLB – May 29, 2014https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/irish-in-the-mlb-may-29-2014/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/irish-in-the-mlb-may-29-2014/#commentsThu, 29 May 2014 19:31:41 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6711]]>In the past week, one former Irish ball player hit a walk-off home run, one had three scoreless relief appearances and one even picked up a win (I’m not kidding, “The Shark” was saddled with a loss).

Let’s begin with the red hot A.J. Pollock. Pollock has gone nuts at the “dish” ever since beginning the season in an 0-13 hole. Since then, he has batted .327, with 12 doubles, three triples and six home runs. Additionally, he has been streaky at the plate, tallying three games of three hits in his last 10 games and was recently named “co-NL player of the week” a few weeks backs.

With the series-opening game against the San Diego Padres tied, 5-5, Pollock stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth on May 26th and sent the fans in Arizona home happy with one swing of the bat.

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Pollock After The Walk Off

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After being moved out of the closer role for the Cleveland Indians after one bad outing, John Axford kept his composure and has flourished as a set-up man for Cleveland. Over the last week, Axford has had three appearances, pitching 3.1 innings and allowed zero runs.

Jeff Samardzija and his minuscule 1.68 ERA have finally been rewarded with a win. You may say that Samardzija’s last performance was one of his weakest of the season (7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 10 K’s), but the Cubs held on for the victory. By the way, I’m guessing most starters would take Samardzija’s line any day of the week …

Since being moved from the bullpen in late April, David Phelps of the New York Yankees has put together four (of five) starts of three runs or less on the hill. Phelps and his 3.38 ERA is one of the bright spots for the Yankees this year as they continue their chase of an American League playoff spot. In Phelps’s last start, a May 27th meeting with his hometown St. Louis Cardinals, he allowed three runs in 6.0 innings in a loss.

Lastly, Jeff Manship continues to do the dirty work in the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen this season, pitching both short and extended appearances in relief. Manship has pitched well in a majority of his outings, but he needs to work on his consistency to not allow the big inning, something he has struggled with of late. In two of his last three outings, he has allowed two runs or more in an inning or less. In his previous eight outings, he didn’t allow more than one run in any appearance.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/irish-in-the-mlb-may-29-2014/feed/0?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????boyaaronsid#NDLaxItalyhttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/ndlaxitaly/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/ndlaxitaly/#commentsWed, 28 May 2014 12:39:31 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6709]]>The University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team is headed to Italy.

Barely 48 hours removed from playing for the 2014 national championship—the Irish fell to Duke 11-9 Monday in Baltimore in the title game of the NCAA Championships—they headed out Wednesday for a 10-day foreign tour featuring three games.

That NCAA achievement marked the third time in five years Notre Dame has qualified for NCAA Championship Weekend and the second time in five years the Irish played in the title game.

Most of the Irish players remained on the East Coast after the Monday title game in Baltimore–and then flew to Milan, Italy, out of New York’s JFK Airport. A small contingent of coaches, administrators and families flew out of Chicago Wednesday.

The Notre Dame squad will spend two nights in Como, three in San Marino, two in Montecatini Terme, Tuscany, and finally two in Rome. The Irish will tour Milan, Lake Como, the San Marino Republic, Riccione, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence and Rome.

The Irish will play three “friendly” lacrosse games in Riviera—Saturday (May 31) against a Great Britain/international squad, Sunday (June 1) versus Team Norway and Monday (June 2) against Team Italy.

The Irish lacrosse group returns to the United States June 7.

This marks the fifth foreign trip for the Irish men’s lacrosse program—following excursions to Japan in 2010, the Czech Republic in 2005, Ireland, England and Wales in 2001 and Ireland in1995. This marked the third time Notre Dame has embarked on its foreign trip just days after participating in the NCAA Final Four—also doing that in 2001 and 2010.

Check UND.com and WatchND for print and video updates from the Notre Dame journey to Italy. Stay connected to this trip on Twitter via @ndlacrosse & @ndlaxexperience. Use hashtag #NDLaxItaly.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/ndlaxitaly/feed/1NCAA Men's Lacrosse: May 10 2014 #5 Notre Dame vs #11HarvardboyaaronsidIrish In The MLS (And On The USMNT) – May 27, 2014https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/irish-in-the-mls-and-on-the-usmnt-may-27-2014/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/irish-in-the-mls-and-on-the-usmnt-may-27-2014/#commentsTue, 27 May 2014 20:28:22 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6707]]>A great week on the international stage for the Irish soccer program as the men’s squad continues its journey over in Africa for their “Service, Sightseeing & Soccer” trip abroad. On the national stage, an alum was named to the United States Men’s National Team for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and on the club level, there were some highlights from past Irish stars.

Let’s begin with the United State Men’s National Team. Last Thursday, Jurgen Klinsmann, the manager of the U.S. National Team, announced the final 23-man roster for the 2014 World Cup. The list is a “who’s who” of United States “futbol” and the squad included 2009 Notre Dame grad Matt Besler, the captain of Sporting KC.

Many believe that Besler has a spot in the “Starting XI” on lockdown for the World Cup after his brilliant play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, World Cup Qualifying and International Friendlies. Take a few moments to watch what Notre Dame men’s soccer coach Bobby Clark had to say about Besler’s inclusion on the US Men’s National Team.

In the world of Major League Soccer, Dillon Powers is the man of the week for the Irish, netting two goals for the Colorado Rapids en route to a 4-1 win on Saturday night over fellow Irish alum Jeb Brovsky and the Montreal Impact.

Although he didn’t register anything in the offensive score line in this week’s game, Harrison Shipp made his presence felt on the pitch in the defensive third.

Justin Morrow continued his stellar play for Toronto FC, making yet another start at his left outside back position. He helped Toronto to a 2-2 draw against defending MLS Champion Sporting KC last Friday (May 23).

Aaron Maund did not see game action for Real Salt Lake, but was listed as a possible substitution for the contest. RSL would end up in a, 0-0, tie with FC Dallas.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/irish-in-the-mls-and-on-the-usmnt-may-27-2014/feed/1BeslerboyaaronsidFerriera Trying To Channel Her Inner Paynehttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/ferriera-trying-to-channel-her-inner-payne/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/ferriera-trying-to-channel-her-inner-payne/#commentsFri, 23 May 2014 03:05:27 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6703]]>As school ends, many students find their way back to their hometown and either obtain employment for a few months or just “chill,” but for soon-to-be sophomore Jordan Ferreira, she will be teeing it up with the best in her sport at famed Pinehurst No. 2 for the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open in late June.

There have been tons of great memories made on the No. 2 course at Pinehurst, one of the more memorable in my eyes shines a spotlight on the late Payne Stewart as he dueled Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods in 1999.

Just the sixth player in Irish women’s golf history to qualify for the Open, Ferreira joins the likes of 2012 graduate Becca Huffer and teammate Ashley Armstrong.

On May 20th, Ferreira teed it up for sectional qualifying at Rainer Country Club in Seattle, Wash. With the course playing to par 72, she opened up the 36-hole format with a 77. Knowing she needed to come out firing on the final 18, all Ferreira did was set a new women’s course record by carding a cool, two-under par 70.

The U.S. Women’s Open will not be the first national USGA event that Ferreira has played in. Back in 2011, she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Rhode Island Country Club. In her first test on the USGA national stage, she finished in 119th place, after taking 156 (75-81) strokes over 36 holes.

During her freshman year at Notre Dame, Ferreira played in all 11 tournaments for the Irish, finishing with a 75.61 stroke average on the year.

Ferreira notched four top-25’s in 2013-14, finishing as high as eighth (tied) at the IU Fall Kickoff on the treacherous Purgatory course in Noblesville, Ind.

Oh, and did I mention she won the Pacific Northwest Jr. Girls’ Amateur Championship in 2012?

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/ferriera-trying-to-channel-her-inner-payne/feed/0GFW14boyaaronsidQueen Of The Beachhttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/queen-of-the-beach/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/queen-of-the-beach/#commentsFri, 23 May 2014 02:26:01 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6701]]>

For the first time in history, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) named a Prep Sand Volleyball All-America Team. With only four members being named to the squad, inclusion was very prestigious, and future Irish student-athlete Jo Kremer was among the quartet selected.

Kremer, an incoming freshman on the Irish volleyball team, resides in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and will look to play the sport she loves on the hard court in ACC play, while continuing to gain experience in the sand as well.

Kremer was also named to the 2012 and 2013 USA U-19 Youth Beach National Teams, earned first team all-Mission League honors as a junior and senior in helping her team to a pair of league championships.

When speaking about Kremer’s signing with the Irish, Notre Dame volleyball head coach Debbie Brown gave glowing remarks on her play.

“Jo has shown that she has an incredible volleyball knowledge,” said Brown. “She wasn’t overpowering when she got kills, but she makes great decisions with the ball and knows exactly where the defense isn’t. She is one of the smartest players I have seen at her age level. Jo has the ability to play at outside hitter, but she will be a big asset on the back row because she is a great ball control player. We are excited about her defensive potential.”

As the Irish enter their second year in ACC play, they will do so with some young firepower, no matter if they play indoors, or have a pick-up match on the beach.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/queen-of-the-beach/feed/0Big East Women's Volleyball Championship 2011boyaaronsidFor College And Countryhttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/for-college-and-country/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/for-college-and-country/#commentsFri, 23 May 2014 02:07:37 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6697]]>For the first time in program history, a former Notre Dame men’s soccer player was selected to the 23-man roster for the United States Men’s National Team ahead of the 2014 World Cup. It was announced on Thursday afternoon (almost a week earlier than most predicted) by USMNT manager Jürgen Klinsmann that 2009 Notre Dame graduate Matt Besler would be a member of the squad for this June’s events in Brazil.

Besler, the first student-athlete in Irish men’s soccer history to cop both first-team All-America and first-team Academic All-America honors during his career, is predicted to be a member of the starting XI along the United States’ backline. His technical skills set Besler apart from many of the members of the 23-man roster, giving him the inside track at the center back position.

Besler played in 90 games while at Notre Dame, starting 83, and tallied five goals in those contests.

Currently, the men’s soccer team (and Matt’s younger brother, Nick) is overseas on their foreign tour in Zimbabwe participating is a service/soccer trip with an organization called Grassroot Soccer. You can follow their travels by clicking here.

It’s ironic that the current squad is overseas right now, because in 2006, Besler took his foreign tour with the program. Where did they go? You guessed it … Brazil. That is some serious foreshadowing.

Be sure to follow along as Besler makes Irish history this summer while playing for the Red, White and Blue.

Twitter Rumblings

Extremely honored and humbled to make the final WC roster!! Excited to give everything I have for my country #USA#USMNT

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/for-college-and-country/feed/1BeslerUSMNTboyaaronsidsource: Wednesday’s T.I.F.I. – Jagielo’s Dinger, Piane’s Last Stand, #RowIrish, Louis Nix & More!https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/wednesdays-t-i-f-i-jagielos-dinger-pianes-last-stand-rowirish-louis-nix-more/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/wednesdays-t-i-f-i-jagielos-dinger-pianes-last-stand-rowirish-louis-nix-more/#commentsWed, 21 May 2014 14:03:09 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6693]]>Some huge news among our Olympic sports went down yesterday that shocked many in the Notre Dame community. But first, let’s just take a second to look at the final episode of “Path To Greatness,” starring Louis Nix and two other NFL Draft hopefuls.

Now what did we miss …

1. Coach Piane Set To Retire (Journal Gazette)
After a storied 39-year career as the head coach of the Irish track and field program, Joe Piane is hanging it up after the conclusion of the outdoor track season. Click the link above to read more.

2. Jagielo Homers, Ties League Lead (MiLB.com)
After being drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft last year, Eric Jagielo has started to pick up the pace in the New York Yankees minor league system. Click the link above to read more.

3. Rowing Selected To NCAA Championship (NCAA.com)
After another successful season on the water, the 10th-ranked Irish rowing team was selected to their third-straight NCAA Championship. Click the link above to read more.

Tweet Of The Day

Our continued work with Upper Deck has allowed us to create five trading cards of members of the Notre Dame community. Yesterday, Sharpley was honored by former Notre Dame football player and current Monogram Club football relations director Reggie Brooks. To read more about the presentation, click here.

Notre Dame-ish Video Of The Day

Let’s look at last weekend’s Commencement through the eyes of Irish student-athletes.

Did You Know?

Joe Piane held his position as a head coach at Notre Dame for 39 years, the second-longest tenure for a head coach at the University. The only head coach to hold that position longer was baseball coach Jake Kline, who held his position from 1934-1975 for a total of 42 seasons.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/wednesdays-t-i-f-i-jagielos-dinger-pianes-last-stand-rowirish-louis-nix-more/feed/0Notre Dame Cal Poly BaseballboyaaronsidIRISH In The MLBhttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/irish-in-the-mlb/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/irish-in-the-mlb/#commentsTue, 20 May 2014 14:42:21 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6689]]>In the past few weeks, our former student-athletes in the professional ranks have been wheeling and dealing (especially A.J. Pollock).

Let’s begin in Major League Baseball, where five former Irish ballplayers are making waves in “The Show.”

A.J. Pollock • Arizona Diamondbacks
Pollock has been on a tear as of late. After starting the season 0-13 from the dish, Pollock has batted .350. Additionally, the Diamondbacks centerfielder played his way to being named National League co-Player of the Week this past week after going 11-22 at the plate. For all you non-baseball fans, a .500 average is undeniably great.

Two of A.J.’s hits from May 17th.

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David Phelps • New York Yankees
In his last three appearances, Phelps has been given the ball to start the game for the Yankees, moving from his position in the bullpen. Over those three starts, Phelps allowing five earned and picked up a win in his last start, a 5.0 inning gem where he allowed no runs on five hits.

Jeff Samardzija • Chicago Cubs
Samardzija is now nine starts into his 2014 campaign and is yet to tally a win. In fact, his record currently stands at 0-4. Has Samardzija pitched to his 0-4 record? No, and his record couldn’t be anymore misleading. So far this season, Samardzija has gone seven innings on six occasions and sports a miniscule 1.62 ERA. Is it possible for someone to start the All-Star Game with no wins? I hope we won’t have to find out.

Jeff Manship • Philadelphia Phillies
After a rough start to the year, Manship has begun to find his stride in the Phillies bullpen. An early-season appearance that saw him allow three earned runs, has hurt his season ERA (6.23), but if you take out that one appearance, his ERA drops to 3.21. Of his last five trips to the mound, Manship has allowed an earned run in just one appearance, a May 11th loss to the New York Mets.

John Axford • Cleveland Indians
After blowing a save opportunity on May 4th against the Chicago White Sox, Axford was moved into more of a set-up man position with the Indians. Axford has responded well, holding (pun intended) teams scoreless in his last four appearances on the bump. Just like Manship, if you take out Axford’s blown save against the White Sox where he allowed three runs, his ERA is a paltry 2.60.

What’s your favorite song to listen to before games? “Right Above It” by Lil Wayne

Who is your celebrity crush? Jennifer Aniston

What’s the best thing about your home state (New Jersey)? The deli in my hometown and Bruce Springsteen.

What’s your favorite sport to watch? Live would be college football. On TV it would be the US Open in Tennis.

What’s your favorite movie?Cool Runnings. Movie Quote? “How can we be expected to teach children to read, if they can’t even fit inside the building?” from Zoolander.

What is your guilty pleasure song or band? “I’m on a Roll” by Stefano

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Right now, I’d probably go to St. Thomas

What was your favorite TV show when you were a kid?Rocket Power

What’s the first item on your bucket list? Skydive

What is your favorite place in the entire world? The kitchen table at my beach house

What is the best gift you’ve ever received? A Patagonia coat from my sisters to get me through the winters here

What four people would you want to go golfing with? My dad’s dad, so my grandfather who passed away before I was born; Bubba Watson so I could learn how to play; Jamie Dimon—he’s the CEO of JP Morgan, which I’m working for when I graduate; and Jay-Z again. I just want to meet him so badly.

What was the best lesson your parents ever taught you? Be humble and there’s a time for everything.

Favorite Place to Eat On or Off Campus? Decio Commons

Best offering at Training Table? I’m a big fan of breakfast for dinner.

Numerous teams were in action this weekend, from the men’s lacrosse team (NCAA quarterfinals) to the softball squad (NCAA regionals). Let’s quickly recap the happenings.

The softball squad ended its stellar season at the hands of No. 2 UCLA on Sunday in a, 1-0, thriller. The squad finished its season at 41-13.

Our rowing team found itself squarely entrenched in a battle with Virginia at the inaugural ACC Rowing Championship. The Irish would wind up just a hair short, finishing in second place to the Cavaliers.

The men’s lacrosse team is back in the NCAA semifinals once again after beating Albany in the quarterfinal round after a hectic comeback.

Lastly, Niall Platt of the men’s golf team finished his storied Irish career on the links last weekend, playing individually at the NCAA regional at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois.

Before we get underway, have you seen the tear that former Notre Dame baseball student-athlete A.J. Pollock is on? After starting the season 0-13 from the dish, Pollock has been on a tear, batting .350 since, including .459 in his last 10 games (17-37).

Now what did we miss …

1. Irish Rally To NCAA Semifinals (LaxPower)
Another national semifinal berth was notched by the men’s lacrosse team this past weekend, setting up a rematch with ACC-foe Maryland. Click the link above to read about their crazy comeback win over Albany.

2. Irish Finish Baseball Season In Style (South Bend Tribune)
A year that allowed the Irish to play just six “true” home games came to an end this past weekend on newly “turfed” Jake Kline Field. The Irish battled to the end, winning five of their last six contests (all at home). Click the link above to read more and watch how the last game of the season (vs. Pittsburgh) finished in dramatic fashion.

3. What Tuitt Learned At ND (Steelers.com)
One of Notre Dame’s most feared defensive players over the past few seasons, Stephon Tuitt, was asked how Notre Dame helped him get to where he is today. The answers will make you proud of this former Irish student-athlete. Click the link above to learn more.

Tweet Of The Day

The men’s soccer team is heading to Zimbabwe on Monday night, so I posed the question to their videographer and the team on how the packing is going for their three weeks away …

Notre Dame-ish Video Of The Day

Notre Dame is known for having fantastic commencement speakers, and this year was no different. Take a few minutes to listen to Rev. Ray Hammond.

Did You Know?

If the men’s lacrosse team brings home an NCAA championship this weekend, that would be two team titles for the Irish this school year (with men’s soccer winning in the fall). The last time the Irish had two NCAA titles in the same season was in 2010-11, when the women’s soccer team and the fencing squad won titles.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/19/mondays-t-i-f-i-weekend-recap-lacrosse-moves-on-pollock-on-a-roll-more/feed/1NCAA Men's Lacrosse: May 10 2014 #5 Notre Dame vs #11HarvardboyaaronsidFriday’s T.I.F.I. – Talkin’ NCAA’s, Dy-Nasty’s, Book Smarts, Behind The Back & More!https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/fridays-t-i-f-i-talkin-ncaas-dy-nastys-book-smarts-behind-the-back-more/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/fridays-t-i-f-i-talkin-ncaas-dy-nastys-book-smarts-behind-the-back-more/#commentsFri, 16 May 2014 14:37:57 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6678]]>The next few days are very important for Notre Dame athletics on the national stage.

Here’s a quick rundown of this weekend’s postseason schedule:

The softball squad begins its run to the NCAA Championship at 6 p.m. (ET) on Friday in Los Angeles, Calif.

The men’s tennis team looks to get to the NCAA Quarterfinals on Friday afternoon. They take on ACC foe Virginia at noon in Athens, Ga.

One of our last chances to bring home another ACC Championship during the 2013-14 season takes place in Clemson, S.C., on Lake Hartwell as the rowing squad takes to the water on Friday.

On Saturday, men’s lacrosse will play Albany for the right to get back to the NCAA National Semifinals. The match is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. (ET).

Lastly, Niall Platt of the men’s golf team continues his individual run at a NCAA Regional title at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.

Before we get underway, the Anaheim Ducks take on the L.A. Kings tonight in game seven of their Stanley Cup Playoff series. The lone Irish hockey connection remains on the roster of the Ducks. Can Kyle Palmieri keep up the streak of former Irish student-athletes making it to the final round of the league’s playoffs? We’ll find out tonight.

Take a second to watch Palmieri’s wraparound goal from game six

Now what did we miss …

1. Family Dy-“Nasty” (WNDU)
The softball squad at Notre Dame continues its great season this weekend out in California, but before we turn our attention to the team, let’s take a look at the captain (and her father), Chloe Sagonowich. Click the link above to watch a great video on Chloe and her dad, Jerry.

2. Connaughton Caps Off Season (WSBT)
After another fine year on the basketball court, junior Pat Connaughton once again took his trusty right arm to the diamond. Thursday night Pat capped off his season with a stellar performance on the bump for the Irish. Click the link above to read more.

3. The Observer Selects Top Male Athlete (The Observer)
The student-run newspaper for the tri-campus area of Notre Dame, Holy Cross and Saint Mary’s selected a Male Student-Athlete of the Year on Friday. Click the link above to find out who took home the honor.

Tweet Of The Day

Notre Dame-ish Video Of The Day

I have to give a little love to the men’s lacrosse squad before they play on Saturday for the right to get to another NCAA National Semifinal. Good luck boys!

Did You Know?

The Irish had four student-athletes named to the Capital One Academic At-Large All-District V First Team on Thursday. Ashley Armstrong (golf), Gerek Meinhardt (fencing), Emma Reaney (swimming) and Peter Schneider (hockey) were the Notre Dame recipients. To be eligible, the student-athlete must hold at least a 3.30 GPA. Armstrong sports a 3.89 in mechanical engineering, Meinhardt has a 3.83 while pursuing his MBA, Reaney has a 3.68 in design and Schneider rounds out the group with a paltry 3.96 while double-majoring in economics and business AND a minor in actuary.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/fridays-t-i-f-i-talkin-ncaas-dy-nastys-book-smarts-behind-the-back-more/feed/0Shippboyaaronsid50 Years Of Men’s Lacrossehttps://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/50-years-of-mens-lacrosse/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/50-years-of-mens-lacrosse/#commentsThu, 15 May 2014 19:52:31 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6674]]>Since its humble beginnings 50 years ago, the men’s lacrosse team at Notre Dame has been one of family and has recently become synonymous with winning, championships and NCAA Tournament runs.

The current “digs” of the squad, Arlotta Stadium, is a culmination of all the hard work, determination and family atmosphere that has always emanated from the lacrosse program at Notre Dame.

From the old club coaches to Rich O’Leary and current head coach Kevin Corrigan, the program will always be ran in a top-notch way.

Take a few minutes to look back at the first 50 years of lacrosse at the University of Notre Dame.

]]>https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/50-years-of-mens-lacrosse/feed/2Photo by Matt CashoreboyaaronsidWednesday’s T.I.F.I. – Pollock Rolling In MLB, Niklas Blocking, #NDFB Goes International & More!https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/wednesdays-t-i-f-i-pollock-rolling-in-mlb-niklas-blocking-ndfb-goes-international-more/
https://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/wednesdays-t-i-f-i-pollock-rolling-in-mlb-niklas-blocking-ndfb-goes-international-more/#commentsWed, 14 May 2014 13:13:57 +0000http://ndathleticsblog.wordpress.com/?p=6670]]>Let’s get started right away on the alumni front talking about the Irish alums in the professional baseball ranks.

Since April 1st, Arizona Diamondbacks centerfielder A.J. Pollock has hit a scorching .324, knocking four home runs and stealing five bases (all coming in May).

Check out Pollock’s long ball from Monday night’s game against the Washington Nationals:

Your browser does not support iframes.

In other news in the Major League, John Axford pitched one inning of perfect ball for the Cleveland Indians in a 5-4 loss to Toronto.

Oh, in other news, Jeff Samardzija is still winless for the Chicago Cubs with his paltry 1.45 ERA.

Now what did we miss …

1. Taking A Look At The Backs (One Foot Down)
One of the big questions people are wondering heading into the 2014 football season is about the running back corps. Will they shine brighter than in 2013? Click the link above to read One Foot Down’s take.

2. Pollock Playing Well (SI.com)
As we mentioned above, former Irish baseball student-athlete A.J. Pollock is currently ripping the cover off the baseball. He was moved to centerfield this offseason after the Diamondbacks made a key trade, sending one of their best player’s away to make way for the talented Pollock. Click the link above to read more.

3. Niklas Up For Blocking (AZ Central)
He hasn’t always been seen as a dominant blocker while at Notre Dame, but personally, I don’t think he was given much of a chance. How will Troy Niklas do at the next level when he is asked to get in a three-point stance and run block? Click the link above to read more.

Tweet Of The Day

Notre Dame-ish Video Of The Day

Just because he threw a perfect inning on the bump last night, I felt like I should give John Axford (and his ‘stache) some love in this segment.

Did You Know?

Today, I felt like I should provide you with a triumvirate of “DYK’s” … So here it goes (yes, that rhymed) …

– Notre Dame football had at least six players drafted in consecutive years in 2013-14 for the first time since 2002-03.

– Notre Dame football had five players chosen in the first three rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft. It’s the most since the Irish had a school-record seven players selected in the top three rounds of the 1994 draft.

– Troy Niklas was the seventh Notre Dame tight end to be chosen in the top-two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1992. No other school in the nation has had more than four over that span.